"S-s-s—! what was that?" said Jimmy. "I thought I heard a noise ahead." The three boys came together, and grabbed each other. They listened with all their ears.
"There's certainly something there," whispered Frank, "and it's moving about, don't you hear it? Come on, we'll see what it is;" but before he could take a step ahead both Jimmy and the Wee One grabbed him by the arms. But he shook himself clear of them, and went stealthily ahead, walking on tip-toe. There was nothing else left for Frank's companions but to follow. They felt their hair rising, and at every step they took they glanced uneasily to right and left, as though in deadly fear that something would spring from the bushes, and grab them with wet and clammy hands.
Again there was a sound as of something moving in the darkness just ahead, and the boys drew close together again and waited. They themselves were in the shadow of the stand by this time, and the noise came from a point apparently only a few yards ahead. Suddenly the moon, which had been behind a cloud, shone out faintly and the boys could see something moving back and forth about half way down the stand.
"Come on," said Frank, "we'll rush it."
"We will not do anything of the kind," said the Wee One. "You can't tell what it might be."
"Well, I'll go alone, then," said Frank, in a whisper, "I'm going to find out what that is."
"I'll go with you," said Jimmy, quietly. He was not going to let his old chum take desperate chances alone.
The boys, however, were saved the necessity of "rushing it," for the noise began to grow louder, and resolved itself into a definite step which came in their direction. They squeezed themselves back against the big uprights of the stand and waited, hardly knowing what to expect. In another moment the footsteps had come opposite to their hiding-place, and Frank closely followed by Jimmy, sprang out into the path and grappled with something. Down they went on the ground, a general mix-up from which proceeded groans and grunts. Finally Frank's voice rose clear:
"I've got it, strike a match."
The Wee One struck a match with shaking fingers, and when it blazed up it showed the scared face of no other a person than Gleason—the old Codfish!